Seismic drill hole ring plug

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed a means for use in plugging a well including a flexible plug member which can adapt itself to different diameters of well, and a suspension means for hanging the plug member in the mouth of the well whereby concrete may be poured into the mouth of the well to provide a plug.

United States Patent [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/I955 HamiIton, |r...........

[72] Inventor PeppinoBassani 14248 Laurier Drive, Edmonton, Alberta. Canada 166/ I 35 I66/202 I66/202 32352969 1/1968 McReynoIds, n. Patented July 20,197l I 2/1968 Hlght et al. Priority Nov. 6. 1969 Primary Examiner-James A. Lcppink Canada Attorney-Fetherstonhaugh and Co.

M e .mw S Wh l l cm Pm .1 e

m f .w km w erm ABSTRACT: There is disclosed a m well including a flexible plug membe different diameters of well, and a su [54] SEISMIC DRILL HOLE RING PLUG 7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs. [52] US.

ye wm v mo hr 0. 0 t d W e h t f o [51] Int.CI............... ing the plug member in the moutlh of the w [50] Field of 166/192. concrete may be poured into the mouth aplug.

MEMEWZM H .m. MIE mz t PATENTEU JUL 20 197:

Wig j INVENTOR Peppino BASSANI jW/v PATENT AGENTS SEISMIC DRILL HOLE RING PLUG This invention relates to a device for plugging seismic holes or wells.

Government regulations specify that when use of a well is discontinued, the top 20 inches must be filled for purposes of safety. Many devices have therefore been proposed for facilitating the plugging of holes, these devices generally consisting of plugs which are attached a given distance down the well hole to enable the pouring of a cement material above the plug to fill the well opening. Such a device is illustrated in Canadian Pat. No. 739,772, granted on Aug. 2, 1966 to Oliver B. McReynolds, .lr.

While such devices, relatively cheaply and efficiently, can be used for the purposes claimed, they are not entirely satisfactory. For example, the size of many of the prior art devices limits the number which can be easily carried by a drilling crew, and even tho their cost is low, it should be born in mind that these devices are expendable so that any reduction whatsoever in price constitutes an economy.

.It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a seismic drill hole plugging device, for use in the preparation of a drill hole plug, which is simple, more inexpensive than known devices and easy to use. It is further an object of the present invention to provide a seismic drill hole plug which does not require the use of special tools for its operation.

To the above ends, means for use in plugging a well according to the invention may comprise a plug member, a support member, and suspension means between the support member and the plug member whereby the support member maybe seated above a well with the plug member suspended therefrom and the space between the plug member and the well opening filled with a cementitious material to form a well P s Preferably the plug member is of a diameter larger than the diameter of a well to be plugged, and is formed from a flexible material. It may be provided with a plurality of radial slots about its periphery, defining, between them, a series of flexible tongues, whereby it may accommodate itself to varying well sizes and will provide an upwardly open cut to receive the cementitious material.

The support member may be a ring somewhat larger than the opening of the well, and the suspension means may be cord members extending between the plug member and the support member.

The plug member and the support member may be formed in one piece from a suitable thermoplastic, and may be separa ble when they are used as described below. It should be understood that within this context the expression suitable thermoplastic" is intended to represent a material, such as nylon, having sufficient strength to be of use in this environment as will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

The combined plug member and support member are preferably substantially flat to facilitate packaging of a number of devices in a small area.

Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings,

in which an embodiment of the invention is described, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan of a preferred form of the invention, prior to use and in the condition in which it would be sold by the manufacturer,

FIG. 2 is a cross section on the line 2-2 of FIG. I, and

FIG. 3 shows how the invention is deployed in a well, prior to plugging of the well with cement or grout.

Referring to FIG. 1, the plug member 1 is, in its preferred form, circular and provided with a serious of radially extending slots 2, these slots having between them tongue members 3 which operate in a manner described below. When manufactured, the plug member 1 will be attached to a peripheral ring 4 by breakable connecting means 5 which should be sufficiently weak to be easily, manually broken.

Nylon cords 6 extend between holes 7 in ring 4 and holes 8 in plug I, the holes 8 being within the ring defined by the inner ends 2a of the slots 2. Cords 6 are of a predetermined length, for reasons to be described below, and should be of relatively high strength, sufficient to support, between them, 50 to lbs. of cement. Suitable cord material will readily occur' to those skilled in the art and nylon is preferred.

As will be clear from FIG. 2, the plug member 1 is flat, while the ring 4 is channel shaped in cross section to provide radial strength. Ring 4 may be provided with downwardly extending lugs 9, for a purpose to be described below.

Referring to FIG. 3, the use of the well plug will now be described. A well, for example a seismic drill hole 10, which usually will have a diameter of about 5 inches, is first prepared by removing earth to a depth of approximately 8 inches from around the shot hole at ground level, as shown at 11. The whole assembly, including the ring 4 and the plug member 1, are then placed on the shoulder 12 created by removal of the earth, the lugs 9 helping to keep the ring in position. A suitable tool 13, such as a stinger, is used to push the plug member 1 down into the hole, breaking the connecting means 5 between the plug member and the ring and bending the tongue members 3 so that the plug member I adopts the form shown in the drawing, i.e., a cup shape. The plug member I may be pushed down the hole 10 to the extent permitted by cords 6, which would be approximately 18 inches if it was desired to make a plug having a total depth of more than 24 inches.

The tool 13 may then be removed, and the space between the ground surface and the plug member filled with a suitable cementitious material to complete the well plug. It will be clear that the cementitious material may later be removed if it is desired to reuse the well.

What I claim is:

1. Means for use in plugging a well comprising: a plug member; a support member; and suspension means between the support member and the plug 'member, whereby the support member may be seated above a well with the plug member suspended therefrom; the space between the plug member and the well opening filled with a cementitious material to form a well plug; the plug member being of a diameter larger than the diameter of a well to be plugged, and being formed of a flexible material, the plug member having a plurality of radial slots about its periphery, each adjacent pair of slots defining between them a flexible tongue member whereby the plug member may accommodate itself to varying well sizes; and wherein the support member is a ring larger than the well opening.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the suspension means are at least three cords extending between the plug member and the support member.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the plug member and the support member are formed in one piece from a suitable thermoplastic and are separable for use in plugging a well.

4. As an article of manufacture, a well plug comprising a circular plug member, an annular support member, a series of breakable lugs connecting the said plug member and said annular support member toeach other and holding said support member in the plane of the plug member, and cord means having one end thereof anchored to said plug member and having their opposite ends anchored to said support member.

5. An article as set forth in claim 4 in which the said plug member has a series of radial slots projecting inwardly from the periphery thereof to define between them a series of deformable flexible tongue members.

6. An article as set forth in claim 4 in which the said annular support member is channel shaped in cross section, and a series of lugs project at right angles from one face of the support member.

7. An article as set forth in claim 4 in which the said cord means are adapted to hold the said plug member suspended from the said support member when the connecting lugs therebetween are broken. 

1. Means for use in plugging a well comprising: a plug member; a support member; and suspension means between the support member and the plug member, whereby the support member may be seated above a well with the plug member suspended therefrom; the space between the plug member and the well opening filled with a cementitious material to form a well plug; the plug member being of a diameter larger than the diameter of a well to be plugged, and being formed of a flexible material, the plug member having a plurality of radial slots about its periphery, each adjacent pair of slots defining between them a flexible tongue member whereby the plug member may accommodate itself to varying well sizes; and wherein the support member is a ring larger than the well opening.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the suspension means are at least three cords extending between the plug member and the support member.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the plug member and the support member are formed in one piece from a suitable thermoplastic and are separable for use in plugging a well.
 4. As an article of manufacture, a well plug comprising a circular plug member, an annular support member, a series of breakable lugs connecting the said plug member and said annular support member to each other and holding said support member in the plane of the plug member, and cord means having one end thereof anchored to said plug member and having their opposite ends anchored to said support member.
 5. An article as set forth in claim 4 in which the said plug member has a series of radial slots projecting inwardly from the periphery thereof to define between them a series of deformable flexible tongue members.
 6. An article as set forth in claim 4 in which the said annular support member is channel shaped in cross section, and a series of lugs project at right angles from one face of the support member.
 7. An article as set forth in claim 4 in which the said cord means are adapted to hold the said plug member suspended from the said support member when the connecting lugs therebetween are broken. 